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SPECIAL GUESTS & PRESENTATIONS
Dave commented on the good turnout from all areas across the region. He
then asked Mayor Anita Fisher to introduce the first speaker, Mrs. Diana
McQueen, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Environment.
Mrs. McQueen thanked members for the opportunity to attend this meeting
and provide information on the Province’s goals for the future. She made the
following points:
• I am pleased to be working with Minister Renner, who has given me the
mandate to implement Alberta’s Too Good to Waste Strategy.
• My experience with municipal affairs and as former Mayor of Drayton Valley has
helped me tremendously in undertaking this mandate.
• This process emphasizes collaborative, multi-stakeholder decision making.
• We know the best policy decisions are those that draw upon the valuable
viewpoints that come to us from municipalities, industry and environment
organizations.
• We all benefit from coming together to share what is working and what is not,
on the waste front.
• With respect to waste, it is not easy to be a waste manager during this time of
growth, and as you are well aware, municipalities deal with this every day. What
has worked for 2 or 3 million people might not work for 4 million. Alberta has
shown provincial and municipal leadership on many fronts. We still lead the
country in waste disposal.
• According to Statistics Canada, Albertans produced more than 1000 kilograms of
waste per person in 2006. This was the highest in the country, a 24% increase
from 2004.
• On the brighter side, there has only been a 3% increase in residential waste
sources in the past two years. Compare that to the 5% increase in our
population growth. These numbers clearly reflect the efforts of municipalities
who have engaged in more residential recycling and reuse options and tag-a-gab
programs.
• Alberta does face some unique challenges that other do not, but we are
organized and have a plan. Alberta’s Too Good to Waste Strategy was launched
last fall. It tackles real environmental concerns.
• Provincial efforts to reduce waste have started with stewardship programs.
• One of our flagship programs is the beverage container recycling program, which
has had great success, with a 75% recovery rate. Our goal is to reach 85%. We
have recently undergone a regulation review, details of which will be announced
later this fall.
• We have also begun to address construction and demolition waste. This type of
waste accounts for 1/3 of waste entering class two and three landfills. We have
started the process with a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alberta
Construction Association and the Canadian Home Builders Association.
• We are further looking at a packaging and printed materials program. Organic
programs are also on the radar.
Calgary & Region Waste Reduction Partnership Meeting Page 2